Abilene Christian College - Prickly Pear Yearbook (Abilene, TX)

1 Success is not measured by what you have done, but by what you have done compared to what you could have done. By winning its second consecutive national champion- ship, the men's track team was very successful. Before the start of the season, the world of track and field knew very little about Abilene Christian University, What lit- kle they did know was that ACU had a couple of good pole vaulters, but the good one was gone. However, with two great additions and beasrly dedication, the Wildcats' 1983 Squad put together one of the finest teams in ACU's rich history. "This has been one of the best track teams in ACU history, if not the very best," said Coach Don Hood, After last year, however, one might have been led to believe otherwise. The Cats lost Billy Olson, Steve Parker and 400-meter specialist Kris Brooks to graduation. Plus, Kelly Smith, who gave ACU strength in the 400-meter in- termediate hurdles, was ineligible. So where did ACU go right? The biggest boost came Af p rg . E KJ l -is g , . A . X r ,- , K C ,gs-we - ' - 39' ' . . JY' , V -Wai?" when Sam Houston State decided ro drop its track program. That decision left Charlie Phillips, the conference champion in the 400 meters for two straight years, with no home. Hood gladly opened the doors. The Wildcats picked up another big boost when Mark Witherspoon, perhaps the most versatile sprinter ACU had ever seen, transferred from the University of Wisconsin. The year started out on the right foot. ACU revenged last year's loss to Angelo State at the Border Olympics in Laredo. ASU came right back to defeat the Wildcats in their own backyard at Elmer Gray Stadium, however, winning the Wildcat Relays by 15 points. On March 29, the Wildcats whipped ASU in the rubber match, out-dueling the Rams 94-60, However, the victory took a backseat to the attention centering on the pole vault pit, where Pursley set the American record of 18-1095. The Texas Relays were the beginning of extensive road trips for the mens track team. Although the Wildcats didn't perform up to par in Austin, two discoveries were made that Tim Bright goes over tho bar during the high iump competition of the decathlon. Men's Track X 197